Just looking at replacing my bolts on my bike for more black ones that are less worn. There seem to be plenty of silver bolts online but...
Can anyone recommend a link where they can buy bolts such as M3, M4 and various torx that’ll fit bikes?
Surely this question’s been asked before, and all us home mechanics have stocks, am I best just going to local hardware store?
I think gonebikingmad has some black titanium bolts.
Can't you use chemicals to blacken your current bolts or new silver bolts.
I once bought ti bolts, some were great but some where large torque was needed were terrible. Had a nightmare getting a left crank arm off! Stainless Steel bolts are real!
Like damascus says there are ways to blacken bolts, they can be pretty variable though and tend to scratch pretty easily. A bunch of the common techniques don't work well on stainless.
Same kind of applies for buying black steel bolts-
You can buy black titanium bolts in common bike sizes fairly cheaply. Cheap ti tends not to be brilliant but it's generally good enough for the job, just needs a little care (especially because the tool fit tends to be looser, which makes stripping the heads way more likely)
damascus
Free MemberI once bought ti bolts, some were great but some where large torque was needed were terrible. Had a nightmare getting a left crank arm off!
Grease or threadlock is more important with titanium, it generally galls more than steel which is what causes that really high breakaway force and the feeling you sometimes get of "snaps loose then comes out easily". And the cheap ones definitely tend to be more roundey
Proper blacked steel is going to be crap after a while as you can't do it on stainless. Regardless of whether it's chemically or thermally done it still rusts.
Crap, left a half written sentence: "Same kind of applies for buying black steel bolts-" should have continued with "a lot of them are high tensile and will rust really easily"
you can use alu bolts on your shifters etc and stainless steel ones for the rest. amazon or ebay for them.
You can cold blu steel bolts to blacken them but it only works on uncoated steel. Nearly all off the shelf items will be coated
Ahh this is really interesting. I only mention it and wanted to do it as my caliper bolts have rusted and like the black look so it blends in, assume the manufacturers fit the same type of bolts and once they’re tight to torque they then don’t need to fiddle. Good to keep on top of easy bits though I think when it comes to replacing.
Explains how you see so many silver bolts in packs but not black!
Shimano caliper bolts are black.
or
https://www.holtsauto.com/simoniz/products/engine-enamel/
https://www.hycote.co.uk/product/engine-enamel-black/
hammerite smooth
tbh ive lost patience with them and just replace all bolts with stainless.
As Paton says ... accu.co.uk ... use it loads for all sorts of bits and pieces ...
Slight thread hijack but does anyone know what "sort" of bolts I need for a stem? My Deda ones has rusted so I'd like to replace them, believe they are M5 x 17mm, not sure on the pitch but think they are 0.8. with the Stem being safety critical I want to make sure I get the right strength and from somewhere reputable. If going with steel what do I need to be looking for?
@swdan just take all your bolts off and go to your local bike shop or hardware store and show them. They should have replacements.
we use a lot of cerid (ceramic) coated titanium fasteners at work.
eye-wateringly expensive but pretty much bombproof.
We used to heat nuts and bolts up with a gas torch and drop into a tin full of engine oil, when hot, dont lower them in slowly as youll set fire to the oil, as a mate found out panicked and kicked over the can of oil, and set fire to his garage.
A baked bean can is sufficent in size fr small bolts and thread nuts onto some wire befiore eating up, makes it easier to get out of the oil can.
